Trunk



(No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet l.

P. J. PAVEK. TRUNK.

No. 562,652. Patented June 23, 1896.

2 SheetsSheet P. J. PAVEK.

TRUNK.

(No Model.)

No. 562,652. Patented June 23, 1896.

AN DREW BVGRAHAM FHGTO-UYNQWASNINGTONYDC.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- FRANCIS .l. PAVEK, OF RACINE, VISCONSIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 562,652, dated June 23, 1896.

Application filed February 29, 1896. Serial ll'o 581,274. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS J. PAVEK, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of lVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Trunks, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

My invention has relation to improvements in trunks.

One of the objects is to provide an improved construction whereby the lid may be raised and maintained in its raised position when the trunk is against a wall or the like, thereby obviating the necessity of first pulling the trunk out a slight distance, as is now ordinarily required.

The invention also contemplates as an object improved forms of hinges.

A further object had in view relates to certain improvements in the interior of the trunk, whereby said trunk is made adaptable for several useful purposes, and convenience thereby subserved.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the devices and parts, or their equivalents, as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevatioh of the trunk, showing the lid raised. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the trunk. Fig. 4 is aplan view of the tray of the trunk with the several covers of said tray removed. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a fragment of the trunk with the lid removed. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the looking-glass. Fig. 7 is an elevation of one of the corner-hinges as seen from the rear of the trunk. Fig. 8 is a view of the hinge shown in Fig. 7, looking against the side of the lower portion of the hinge which fits against the end of the trunk, a part of the upper portion of this hinge being broken away. Fig. 9 is an elevation of one of the intermediate hinges, and Fig. 10 is an edge view of Fig. 9.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the main body of the trunk. The front of this body portion is cut away along its entire upper edge, as indicated by the numeral 11, and the cut is continued around opposite sides of the trunk for a desired distance, as indicated at 12 12. By this construction upwardly-projecting portions 13 13 are formed at the rear of the upper edges of the sides of the trunk, the top edges of said upwardly-projecting portions being on a horizontal plane.

The lid of the trunk is indicated by the numeral 14. The front of this lid is provided with the usual depending flange or rim 15 and the sides with the depending flanges or rims 16 16. These flanges or rims 16, however, do not extend along the entire length of the side edges of the lid, as is usual, but terminate at a distance from the rear edge of the lid, being equal in length to the cut-away portions 12 12. hen the lid is thrown down, the front flange 15 extends to and overlaps the front cut-away portion 11 of the main body of the trunk, while the side flanges 16 register with and overlap the edges of the cutaway portions 12. It will thus be seen that the front and side cut-away portions are completely covered by the respective flanges of the lid, while the portions of the side edges of the top of the lid to the rear of the flanges 16, which are unflanged, rest squarely on the horizontal top edges of the upwardly-projecting portions 13. When the cover is raised, it is obvious that the top thereof will be in exact vertical alinement with the back of the trunk-body, so that said trunk-lid may be readily raised, notwithstanding the fact that the body of the trunk is directly against a Wall, partition, or the like, without the ne cessity of pulling the trunk out a slight distancc, as is required in that class of trunks in which the lower hinged edge of the lid, when said lid is thrown upwardly, projects laterally beyond the vertical plane of the back of the trunk. It will be seen that this isan exceedingly simple construction for remedying the difficulty alluded to.

The corner-hinges, as well as the intermediate hinges for the trunk-lid, are of peculiar construction. First, referring to the cornerhinges, the two sections thereof are indicated by the numerals 17 17. Section 17 consists of a flat plate secured near the corner or angle of the lid and is formed at its lower projecting edge with an elongated opening 18. lower section 17 is of angular form, and is applied to the corner or angle at the upper The edge of the trunk-body. The side of this section which is against the back of the trunk is provided with an upwardly-extending rearwardly-curved hook 19, which is adapted to engage around the lower bordering bar 20 of the opening 18. The upper section 17 is furthermore provided with a flange 21, which laps around the side edge of the trunk-lid.

l/Vhen, therefore, said lid is thrown down onits hinges, this flanged portion 21 will rest against the adjacent upper edge of one of the sides of the angular section 17. From this construction it will be seen that not only do I provide a simple form of hinge, but at the same time the sections of said hinge are so arranged and combined as to form an effective corner-guard for the trunk.

Eachintermediate hinge is formed of two sectionsviz., .the plate 22, secured to the tru nk-lid, and the plate 23, secured to the back of the trunk-body. The latter is provided with an upwardly-extending apertured lug.24 and theformer with depending apertured ears 25 25, between which the lug is received. A transverse pivot-pin 26 is passed through these several registering apertures.

Interiorly the trunk-body at its rear is provided with a transverse receptacle 27, which may conveniently contain an umbrella, cane, or like article. The tray of the trunk is indicated by the numeral 28. The under side of this tray at the rear thereof is cut out angularly, as indicated at29. This angular cut is made to conform to the shape of, and to receive therein, the receptacle 27, and when the tray is adjusted to place the horizontal portion of said angular cut serves as a cover for said. receptacle 27. The cut also admits of the tray being supported horizontally in the trunk. The-front portion of the tray isdivided into a-series of compartments of any desired number and shape, and thisfrontportion is closed by means of a cover 30. The rear portion of the tray is provided with a separate cover 31, and beneath this cover are arranged a series of compartments. The center compartment is indicated by the numeral 32 and the end compartments by the numerals 33 33. This central compartment 32 may serve as-a convenient receptacle for a comb and brush, as clearly shown in .Fig. 4, while the end compartment 33 may contain pens, ink, pencils, and the like, and the compartment 33 writing-paper.

At the back of the trunk is arranged a transverse partition 34, between which and the back of the trunk a space is left, forming a pocket 35. This pocket is designed to accommodate a looking-glass 36. This lookingglass is provided at its top and bottom edges, respectively, withthe hooks 37 37 and38 38. \Vhen the cover of the trunk is open, and it is desired to use the looking-glass, said glassis removed from the pocket and suspended by the hooks 37 37, engaging eyes 39, secured to the inner side of the front flange 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. If, now, it is desired to use the looking-glass as a writing-desk, the glass is reversed, so as to bring the back thereof uppermost, and the hooks 38 thereof are made to engage eyes or staples 4O 40, secured to the under side of the trunk-cover, the lower edge of the looking-glass frame resting upon the top of the tray, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. It is obvious that this is a most convenient arrangement for travelers, as it frequently happens that writing material and conveniences cannot be obtained. In such case a trunk of the character herein shown and described will provide all requisites for 1etterwritting, pen and paper being conveniently at hand, and a suitable writingdesk quickly improvised.

Apocket 41 upon the under side of the trunk-lid forms a. convenient receptacle for containing the letters after said letters have been scaled, and before mailing.

Another feature of my invention is the peculiar construction of the lid of the trunk. said lid being constructed of a plurality of sections. In the drawings,three intermediate sections are provided-viz., a central section 42, sections 43 43 on each-side thereof, and also theendisections 44 44. In the caseof the central section and the'sections adjacent thereto the grainof the wood runs crosswise, while in the case of the end sections the wood is cut bias, so as to present the grainon a diagonal line. This particular form is made necessary in view of the peculiar form of the lidviz., a lid inwhich the side flanges only extend along a portion of the length of the side edges. Now in this form it is obvious that if the grain of the wood at the side edges of the lid extended longitudinally, in case of shrinkage and consequent buckling and upward bending of the wood, an opening or space would be left atthe unflanged edges of the sides of the lid,'.or,'again, if the grain of the wood at the side edges of the lid extended crosswise it would be impossible to drive in the nails which secure the usual corner-binding metallic strips without splittingthe wood. It will therefore be seen that in a trunk of the construction herein shown and described it isabsolutely necessary, in order to secure a stronglid, to construct said lid in the manner set forth. This form of lid-viz., one having end sections in which the grain of the wood runs diagonally-may also be used to advantage in the ordinary fornrof trunk.

While I have shown the lid as composed of five sections, it is obvious that this particular numberis not absolutely necessary, as it may be composed of more sections, or may consist merely of two sections having diagonal grains or a central section may be provided and two end sections. In any case the meeting edges of sections will have-to be cut on diagonal lines, as clearly shown by the numerals 45 45, Fig. 1.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1, In a trunk, the combination, with the body of the trunk, the side pieces of said body formed or provided at their rear ends with upwardly-extending projections, the top edges of said projections being onahorizontal plane, of a lid consisting of a top piece and front and side depending flanges, said top piece hinged at its rear to the upper edge of the back piece of the trunk, and having the unflanged portions of its side edges resting horizontally on the top horizontal edges of the rear upwardlyextending projections,the side flanges extending from the front rearwardly along the side edges of the top piece for only a portion of the length of said side edges, but for a sufficient distance to fill the spaces in advance of the upwardly-extending projections.

2. The combination with a trunk-body provided at its rear with a receptacle, of a tray having an undercut portion adapted,when the tray is adjusted in the trunk, to fit and cover said receptacle, and to be partly supported thereby.

3. The combination, of a trunk-body, a lid therefor, said lid provided upon its under side with separate sets of eyes or staples, a lookingglass provided at opposite ends With hooks, the hooks at one end constructed, when the lid is raised, to engage one set of eyes or staples, to adapt the looking-glass for use, and the hooks at the other end adapted, when the looking-glass frame is turned'over and reversed, to engage the other set of eyes or staples, whereby the back of the glass is adapted to be used as a writing-desk.

4. In a trunk, the combination, with the body of the trunk having the upper portion of its front cut away, said out continued along opposite sides of the body for a desired distance leaving upwardly-projecting extensions 0 at the rear ends of the sides, of a lid having its rear edge hinged to the back of the body, and having its front provided with a depending fiange,and its sides with depending flanges extending rearwardly for a desired distance, 45 said front flange adapted to cover the front cut-away portion of the body, when the lid is closed, and the side depending flanges adapted to cover the side cut-away portions, the unflanged side edges of the lid resting on the 50 upwardly-extending projections of the sides of the trunk-body, said lid constructed of sections, in which the grain of the Wood at the side edges of said lid is diagonal.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 5 5 in presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS J. PAVEK.

Witnesses:

A. L. MoRsELL, ANNA V. FAUST. 

